At the celebratory feast in his honour that evening, Darcus Doubleday was modest and matter-of-fact: "please, I am not a daring person, especially at sea: I suffer from bathophobia – don't worry, baths don't bother me, I can sit in them and feel safe, but the hidden depths of the seas and oceans terrify me – but I didn't even think, I just saw my best friend plunge towards his death and so I dived in after him, it was only when we broke the surface and were swimming for the ship that I even realised what had just happened," and the applause was warm and generous; then Sir Principle MacFarlane spoke in august terms: "my friend is a fine example of the risorgimento: men – and women, of course – who risk their lives to strive for all the things which governments and princepalities would deny them; from humble beginnings he went with me to Oxford and proved such a diligent student and exemplary thinker that he won the coveted Frangipane Fellowship with his Doctorate in Philosophy!" and wee Jeemy Murray was filled with admiration and compassion for his amazing friend; and the small dark-skinned man who tended to Jeep himself to himself, surprised everyone when he rose to speak: "my friends, this man, Darcus Doubleday is an example to us all, recklessly he risked his own life for his bosom friend, that marks him out expeditiously, and him I greet as a brother and his hand I must say, I am very proud to clasp," at which he took Darcus' hand and shook it, tears running down his face: "from my own birth in a bourgade, on the foothills of the Himalayas, I have travelled the world in search of true self-sacrifice, and this young man is a shining example to us all!" there was thundering applause and Para Handy, the Captain, said:"thankee Swami, fur yer hertfelt wurds," but the old man shook his head: "not a Swami am I here, sir Captain, here just an ordinary passenger and my name is Mahip Manee Officer, but informally. as I hope we can here all be, just call me Mahip!" and Sir Principle experienced the sense of weightlessness he had felt under the surface of the sea, of baragnosis, he stared agog at the man and when he got a chance, pulled him into a corner and spoke urgently: "forgive me, Swami, I'm sorry, Mahip, but is there any chance that you are the same man who saved a young British Subaltern from an angry horde who had dragged him off his horse and up the Khyber Pass?" and the older man looked at him pensively: "you know about that?" and MacFarlane nodded: "can you confirm it, Mahip?" and the Indian said, quite slowly: "they were intending him to do over, hand him to the women, specialise in such things they do; death for days, even weeks, they could prolong, while the poor wretch howls and begs for it, even when they have his tongue cut out; my own Faith any kind of violence abhors, even an enemey towards, such as the British soldier represents; myself I put between him and his captors, and our way out through a wall of living flesh I carved - but not a knife or sword with, words and the strength of my Faith only and of people, my knowledge of individual men and women and what motivates them; but how do you know? certainly have I no-one told and doubt I do if the young man had any clear idea of it, but when his horse we reached it he mounted and then me he pulled after him and together thus, we left, and I left him before he entered his Army Camp, for in that time the British hated my people as they hated most of Indians, Afghans, and other folk who had a different colour and religion," and MacFarlane nodded slowly:"he was my Great Grandfather, but you! how old are you? forgive me, but the incident must have happened eighty years ago!" and the old man laughed: "we do not count ourselves by the revolutions of the planets, Sir Parlane, it was nearer ninety years, but among my people, that is like the wink of an eye - do not trouble yourself trying to guess my age, but may I say how delighted I am to see that the young man's kindling are still around and that I have had the pleasure of meeting one, and your splendid friend, I hope you appreciate him." and MacFarlane agreed heartily: "we are indeed great pals, bosom buddies and lifelong friends, almost like true brothers," and he glanced across to see that Darcus was resisting the blandishments of all the womenfolk among the passengers though his resolve was crumbling: "perhaos I should rescue him before he falls under their persistence!" and the old Swami clapped him on the shoulder: "yes, my friend, it is time for you to dive in to his aid!"

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